What Wines to Drink in the New Year

Here it is a new year and we make resolutions to lose weight, call mom more often, don't date losers, etc. None of that works and we get frustrated so I'm here to make it easy with ideas for drinking wine. Many of us are stuck in the Chard/Cab or maybe Sauv Blanc/Pinot Noir rut so let's look at what wine changes we could make this year.

Wine's 80/20 rule

$15 Cava

80% of the wine consumed is from 20 grape varieties. There are well over 1,000 different wine grapes so there's lots of room to explore. Even some that are in the top 20 are not so well-known in the U.S. A number of those outside the top 20 you may find are obscure for a reason. For some you may have to adjust your palate a bit as some wines may be different, but not necessarily bad. Many of us probably can't even pronounce some of these wines. Blaufrankisch anyone? Maybe an Aligote?

The current darling of sparkling wine
Italy's Prosecco is considered a cheap, good, Champagne substitute. What isn't as big of a fad yet is Spanish sparkling wine, Cava, and there's really no reason for one to be more popular than the other. There are sparkling wines from lots of countries--try one from Brazil! While I'm on the subject drink bubblies for something besides celebrations. Have it with (gasp) dinner or (double gasp) as an afternoon patio sipper with friends.

Saving the planet
Give organic, biodynamic and natural wines a try. Here's an article from Food & Wine on the subject. Also, try wine that's not packaged in a heavy glass bottle. I'm not talking about those multi-liter boxes, but wine in cans or Tetra-pak-type boxes.

Avoid the cheap stuff
I know, there are budget concerns, but if you are a consumer of under $10 wines be aware. These wine can be an industrial manufactured product rather than something crafted by a winemaker. This is especially true in wines from more expensive areas, California included, and they have little in common with a $25 wine. Maybe drink a little less, but drink better.

$15 Sonoma Cab

Different regions of California
California produces 90% of America's wine and most know about Napa, Sonoma, Lodi, Paso Robles and a few other wine-producing areas of the state. There are places like Anderson Valley, Clarksburg, and El Dorado County that may not be familiar to you even though they make wonderful wines. Giving a plug to my home, Sonoma County, look for Bennett Valley (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah) or Rockpile (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel).

Drink smarter, drink seasonal
Yup, that Sauvignon Blanc you bought last summer isn't tasting so great on a cold winter night. Go for a heavier white and not so chilled like a Chardonnay or Viognier. For reds it's Cabernet season, along with other Bordeaux wines plus Zinfandel and Syrah. In the hotter months lighten up and chill.